1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a combination lock, more particularly one, which is comprised of single dial, and whose unlocking numeral combination can be changed.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Combination locks are usually used on suitcases, cable locks etc. The user of a combination lock only has to remember the unlocking numeral combination, and won""t have the various problems with use of a key, e.g. losing the key, and the key getting damaged.
a male member 10, which has an insertion rod 101 having several aligned engaging teeth 102 equidistantly spaced along it;
a female member 20 having a holding tube 201 for insertion of the male member 10; the holding tube 201 having a trench formed along the whole length thereof, and a fitting trench 205 on a tail end thereof; the engaging teeth 102 of the male member 10 will project out from the trench of the trench of the holding tube 210 after the male member 10 is inserted in the holding tube 201;
several dials 202 arranged one next to another around the holding tube 201 of the female member 20; each of the dials 202 has numerals spaced out on an outer side, and a gap (not numbered) on an inward edge;
locating rings 203 fitted in respective dials 202 and around the holding tube 201 for helping locating the dials 202 when the dials 202 are being operated; each locating ring 203 has a gap opposing the trench of the holding tube 201; and
a C-shaped ring 204 engaged with the fitting trench 205 of the female member 20 for preventing the dials 202 and the locating rings 203 from separating from the female member 20.
Thus, the lock will be in the locking position, wherein the male member 10 can""t be separated from the female member 20, after the male member 10 is inserted in the holding tube 201, and the dials 202 turned such that the gaps thereof no longer oppose the trench of the holding tube 201. And, the male member 10 will be separable from the female member 20 after the dials 202 are turned to the unlocking orientation according to the unlocking numeral combination, wherein the gaps of all the dials 202 will oppose the trench of the holding tube 201 to form a passage, which allows the teeth 102 to pass through.
However, the user has to rotate all of the dials 202 in operating the combination lock. Consequently, the lock is not convenient to use. And, the lock can""t be changed in the unlocking numeral combination to suit the user needs.
It is a main object of the present invention to provide a combination lock, which has single dial, but it is as difficult to find out the unlocking numeral combination as it is to find out combinations of conventional locks that have several dials.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a combination lock, which can be changed in respect of the combination.
The present lock has a female member, a lock rod inserted in a holding tube of the female member, a dial, several actuating rings, locating rings, and co-moving rings. The female member is inserted through the dial, the actuating rings, the locating rings, and the co-moving rings at the holding tube, which is formed with a trench along the whole length thereof. The dial and the actuating rings are arranged side by side, and releaseably engaged with respective co-moving rings. The dial and an actuating ring adjacent thereto have a projecting portion on opposing sides while every two adjacent actuating rings have a projecting portion on opposing sides such that by means of operating the dial, the co-moving rings can be turned to unlocking position where all gaps thereof oppose the elongated trench of the female member to form a passage, which allows spaced teeth of the lock rod to pass through. The locating rings are arranged in the dial and the actuating rings for locating the same and producing ticktack when the dial is being rotated to cause rotation of the actuating rings together with it. The orientations of the dial and the actuating rings relative to respective co-moving rings are changed for changing the unlocking combination by operating the dial after the lock has been unlocked, and the dial and the actuating rings disengaged from the co-moving rings.